NEW Koudiat Cotes du Rhone

Pairs with: Rosemary-rubbed grilled lamb chops, slow-simmered beef daube Provençale, wood-fired sausage and pepper flatbread, roasted pork tenderloin with wild berries, or a rustic charcuterie platter featuring aged Comté, duck rillettes, and peppery cured sausages.

Good for: Elevating everyday weeknight dinners with a supple, thirst-quenching Southern Rhône red; introducing lovers of plush, fruit-forward reds to 50-year-old vine Grenache purity; or pouring a crowd-pleasing bistro wine that trades heavy oak extraction for raw, sun-baked fruit.

Grape: 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah.

I am from: Côtes du Rhône AOC, Southern Rhône Valley, France (Sourced from 50-year-old estate vines planted in nutrient-poor red clays and heat-retaining quartzite pebbles, known locally as galets roulés).

The Story: Crafted under the winemaking umbrella of Maison Lavau, Koudiat was created as an intentional homage to authentic, high-energy family winemaking (vin de copains) designed for generous, unpretentious sharing. The foundation of this cuvée relies on mature, 50-year-old vines planted in the sun-dappled Southern Rhône, where deep red clays retain moisture and rounded river stones absorb afternoon heat to warm the vines through cool nights.

In the cellar, the fruit is handled with a non-extractive touch to keep the wine bright, supple, and endlessly drinkable. Grapes are 100% destemmed and undergo a gentle, cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 20 days. Completely bypassing oak aging in favor of neutral tank maturation, the winemakers prevent heavy wood tannins or vanilla notes from masking the raw, mountain-kissed fruit and distinct garrigue aromatics of the Southern Rhône.

Why You'll Love Me: It is a supple, delightfully juicy, and modern Côtes du Rhône that glides across the palate with velvety ease—offering rich black cherry and wild berry depth balanced by fine tannins and bright freshness. In the glass, it shines a vibrant garnet-ruby color. The nose opens with an inviting bouquet of ripe blackberries, wild raspberries, and black cherries, seamlessly layered over top notes of dried lavender, wild thyme, cracked black pepper, and a subtle hint of sun-baked red earth. On the palate, it delivers a smooth, mouth-filling wave of dark plum and juicy red fruit, held upright by soft, integrated tannins. Clean, bone-dry, and endlessly drinkable, it glides into a long, smooth finish touched by a lingering note of sweet baking spices and a persistent, stone-dust mineral snap.